Monday, January 28, 2008

more of HIM

Welcome toMore of HIM Monday

I started More of HIM because I found it wonderfully encouraging to read from other blogs how the writer was affected by a certain piece of scripture or how they see God working in their lives. I thought it would be nice to have a place where bloggers could submit a link to such posts in order for others to have the opportunity to also read them.

Whether you are a regular reader of mine or you're visiting for the first time, I would like to invite you to participate. You can do this with one of two (or both) themes; Scripture Speaks and/or HIM in my Life. The graphics for each can be found on my sidebar.

If you use the Scripture Speaks focus, write a post sharing a specific piece of scripture, how you feel God is speaking to you through it, and how you plan to apply it to your life.

Maybe it's not scripture that's speaking directly to you, but you do see God working in your life in some way. Whether it's His quiet whisper into your ear or His two by four hitting you up side the head... whether you're on a spiritual high, or low... share HIM in my Life and you'll find that not only will you be encouraged by your readers, but your words will encourage others as well.

So please join us here each Monday. Even if you don't write a post for More of Him, visit the participants who leave their link on Mr. Linky. Let's support each other in our spiritual journeys.

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I'd like to share how I see More of HIM lately working in the life of one of the kids in our youth group. We have a few kids who have either professed that they don't believe in God or that they don't need God in their lives. And even though they are a little rough around the edges, they have allowed us to see their hearts, too.

One boy came to our group over a year ago through a friend. He's had a tough life and has made it clear that he doesn't believe. He would continue to come with his friend and Don and I continued to pray for him. Over the summer he started seeing a girl who is a christian and had been attending another youth group. She has been a good influence on him and slowly we've been able to see his heart soften and his attitude change.

At the end of our meetings, we do "popcorn" prayer time and allow the kids to pray as they wish. A few weeks ago, this boy came up to me after we were all done to ask me a question. It went something like this...

"I don't know about this whole prayer thing, but would it be okay to just make a statement during the prayer time." I asked him to give me an example and he said he wanted to say thank you to his friend there and to say something about Don's job situation. I said I thought that would be just fine - thinking it may be the closest thing to praying for this kid.

So the next week when we had our prayer time, he, indeed, spoke up and said some beautiful things about his friends and that he "hoped" Don's job would get better. He didn't preface it with dear God or Jesus or anything, but in my eyes, it was a prayer. And the next week he did the same thing. It made my heart smile as big as it ever has and brought a tear to my eye.

God is working on this kid and I've seen more and more of HIM each and every week.

6 comments:

Oh Diana, thank you so much for sharing this story! God is so Awesome! And one tear? I nearly balled my eyes out, this is such an incredible way that so many are in the chain that are leading to this young man's salvation!

That is really touching. I have heard that kind of "prayer" before, and indeed it is a prayer.I don't know of anything more rewarding than spending time nurturing youth. Seeing what God does in the often "impossible" situations kids find themselves in.I know you are going to leave your position as youth group leaders, but it doesn't mean you can't have those relationships and find ways to spend time with these kids. I can see where your heart is. Mine is too!Nancy